HOW A NEW PRODUCT IS BORN

INTRODUCTION THE COMPANY ŠKODA FROM Pilsen HAS MADE THE CZECH REPUBLIC FAMOUS ALL OVER THE WORLD like no OTHER BRAND HAS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN recognizing ITS PRODUCTS FOR MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS. AT PRESENT, THE COMPANY ŠKODA TRANSPORTATION FOCUSES ON MUNICIPAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES AND RAIL VEHICLES.

Modern products bearing the Škoda logo are manufactured in the completely new facilities which were built several years ago on the traditional company premises in Pilsen for more than two billion Czech crowns. At present, Škoda Transportation employs almost five thousand people in Pilsen, Prague, Ostrava or Šumperk. Apart from the Škoda Transportation mother company the individual projects are also dealed by several subsidiaries or joint ventures which are active not only in the Czech Republic but also in Germany, Russia or Hungary. Thanks to the first-rate work of up to seven hundred design engineers and project designers and hundreds of millions of Czech crowns invested every year in the company’s research and development, Škoda Transportation can regularly launch new, state-of-the-art products on the market and these products succeed in finding their place on the world markets. The company has invested four billion Czech crowns in research and development in the last four years. Škoda Transportation offers solutions for the production and development of low-floor tramcars, trolleybuses and hybrid vehicles for environmentally friendly public transport in European cities. At the same time the company focuses on the production of various designs of trains and the production of locomotives.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT The aim of this brochure is to introduce you to the project management at Škoda Transportation and to describe how we produce rail vehicles and which departments take part in the production. All production at Škoda Transportation is project-based and therefore is not mass production. There is no assembly line in Škoda – every contract is entered in production and production adjusts to the given contract. It is always important to tailor a given vehicle to the place where it will be operated. It makes a difference whether tramcars operate in a hot or cold climate. Depending on this it is necessary to adjust materials, technologies and generally the entire production. The entire project is managed by a project manager whose task it is to produce the given vehicle on time, in high quality and in the appropriate technical specification.

STRATEGY AND ORGANIZATION THE COMPANY’S STRATEGY IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES. THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE EVALUATED AND THOSE WHICH ARE SELECTED ARE FURTHER DEVELOPED IN A PROJECT PLAN.

STRATEGY

IDENTIFY

OPPORTUNITY 1 OPPORTUNITY 2 OPPORTUNITY 3

SELECT

PROJECTS

Opportunity = a new need on the market / a new legal requirement / a current need of a company

CONTRIBUTE

BENEFITS

PROJECT A PROJECT? WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN? Project = design + production + delivery of the required number of vehicles (all of this in the required time) Vehicle = electric locomotive, tramcar, electric unit, metro, trolleybus, electric or hybrid bus

Interaction of process groups Business case

Project charter

Project plans

Corrective actions Progress reports Approved changes

Controlling

Contract Approved changes

Statement of work

Work progress reports Completion reports

Stakeholder register

Initiating

Planning Project plans

Project plans Risk register

Change requests Issue log Progress data

Implementing

Closing

BEGINNING Everything begins at the sales department which is responsible for:

However, it is not that simple. In fact, it involves a whole range of

——

monitoring the needs of the market

individual activities. The work of the sales department includes

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monitoring of the tendering processes

communication concerning the preparation of the offer not only

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negotiating with clients with the aim of securing an inquiry

with customers but also with colleagues from other departments

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preparing and making an offer

with in the company.

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specifying contractual terms and conditions

The result is a concluded contract.

THE PROJECT MANAGER AND HIS TEAM The deal is closed and the sales department hands over the project for execution to a project manager, who will be responsible for it from then on. The project manager: ——

forms a project team

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prepares a project plan with his team

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from the point of view of preparing documentation and determining production milestones

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from the point of view of costs

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manages the entire project

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monitors the performance of the project

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evaluates the achieved objectives (meeting the project deadline, content and budget)

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evaluates the overall project result

A project team consists of representatives of the following departments: ——

research and development

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technical department

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purchasing

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economical department

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technology

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production

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quality

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service

PROJECT GOVERNANCE Project Steering Committee or Board Regulatory BODY

Business partners

PROJECT SPONSOR

Project management Customers office

Employees Shareholders

Specific interest groups

Project manager

Project management team

Project team Project organization

Suppliers Financial providers

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT AND RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT The technical department cooperates with the research and

Project designers will design the parameters together with the

development department on the final design of the finished

product managers and engineers will calculate them. Design

product. Together they determine the vehicle parameters (what it

engineers then draw everything in the drawing documentation,

will be made of, what its software part will be).

which is handed over to the technological department.

PURCHASING APPROXIMATELY 3 – 4 THOUSAND DIFFERENT ITEMS ARE REQUIRED FOR EVERY PART OF A PRODUCT. WHO WILL WE BUY THEM FROM? HOW MUCH WILL IT COST US? Sourcing managers and purchasing officers enter a project right at its beginning and cooperate on the preparation of the offer. The main work of the purchasing officers commences once the contract is signed. Purchasing officers are responsible for: ——

selection of a supplier

——

pre-ordering of items with long delivery periods

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pre-ordering of strategic items

In the course of the project they are responsible for: ——

ordering individual items according to a time schedule

FINANCE DEPARTMENT It is interested in the entire project right from its beginning: ——

What will the profit be?

——

Is financing secured (from our own sources or external sources)?

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How will the currency in which a contract has been concluded develop?

Control of finances is necessary not only during the launch of the project but also during its entire duration.

TECHNOLOGY IT IS ONE THING TO DESIGN SOMETHING, BUT IS IT ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO PRODUCE IT IN OUR PRODUCTION CONDITIONS? THIS IS WHAT TECHNOLOGISTS SHOULD TELL US, AND IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SOME TECHNICAL DESIGNE, IT IS NECESSARY THAT DESIGN ENGINEEERS PREPARE A DIFFERENT SOLUTION. Technologists organize and are responsible for the preparation of production, they propose the most suitable tools, material flow, succession of workplaces and other technological conditions. They prepare technological regulations and work performance standards, evaluate the technological level of construction and prepare data for price calculations. They check new production procedures and propose technological changes. At the same time, they prepare analyses of production costs and propose possible savings.

QUALITY, TECHNICAL INSPECTION QUALITY DEPARTMENT:

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Inter-stage inspection

Quality system management

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Flaw detection – testing of a product or its parts in the production stage or of the finished product by some of the

Technical inspection

methods of non-destructive testing

Technical inspection provides these main activities:

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Testing and commissioning of the vehicle

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Final inspection – an inspection and final hand-over of the

Receiving inspection – checking the prescribed quality of materials and deliveries entering the company

finished product, including the issue of acceptance documents and quality certificates

PRODUCTION IN THIS STAGE A CONTRACT HAS BEEN ALREADY SIGNED WITH THE CUSTOMER, TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL MANUALS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN PURCHASED AND STORED IN WAREHOUSES – NOW THE ACTUAL PRODUCTION CAN START. HOW IS A TRAMCAR MADE? The entire process consists of the following successive steps: Station 1: Preparation of subassemblies – this includes soldering, bending of sheet metal and welding. The results are floor subassemblies, side walls and the roof part. Station 2: Joining of subassemblies and their welding, welding and machining of the body shell Station 3: Blasting of the body shell Station 4: Undercoat spraying (within 8 hours after blasting) and first the leak proof test of the roof Station 5: Now we have the basic body shell and we begin with laying the floors

Station 6.: Assembly of roof parts Station 7.: Panelling of the outside walls with sheet metal or laminate Station 8.: Final coating of a unit and bonding of windows Station 9.: Assembly of the pneumatic and electrical equipment Station 10: Connection of the individual units into a whole by means of connecting joints Station 11: Assembly of the interior panelling, ceilings, lights, etc. Station 12: Assembly of door equipment Station 13: Assembly of the bogie (it takes place simultaneously with other assembly processes). The final stage includes running-in of the bogie – tightness of transmissions, the function of bearings and the noise level are checked Station 14: Connecting of the body with the bogie

AND NOW THE TESTING AND TRIAL RUN STAGE BEGINS And now the testing and trial run stage begins: 1)

Voltage test

2)

Circuit connection test

3)

Adjusting of doors, hydraulics testing

4)

Weight testing, adjusting of wheels, water tightness

5) Loading gauge test 6) Commissioning – checking the function of all systems, ventilation testing, adjusting of lights, testing of the information system 7)

Trial runs on a testing track

8)

Preparation of the vehicle for hand-over

9)

Technical safety tests at the customer location

If the tramcar passes all the above-mentioned tests, it can be placed into operation.

SERVICE WE DO OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT ALL VEHICLES HAVE AN ABOVE-STANDARD LIFESPAN AND THAT PERFECT CARE IS PROVIDED FOR THEM EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE LEFT THE FACTORY. WARRANTY SERVICE

FULL SERVICE

It concerns the performance of warranty repairs during the warranty

We can prepare for our customer a tailor-made solution, beyond the

period. Warranty service is carried out by service employees directly

scope of the warranty service, the so-called full service. The scope

at the customer location. In order to minimize the time of repairs,

of full service includes regular maintenance of vehicles on the basis

we set up a warranty warehouse of spare parts at the customer

of a maintenance schedule and supplies of consumable materials

location.

and spare parts. It also includes providing repairs after accidents and acts of vandalism.

At the same time service employees collect and evaluate information from operation and then suggest possible improvements with the

The scope and conditions of full service are always provided

aim of increasing the reliability of operating vehicles.

in the contract.

OTHER DEPARTMENTS At least at the end we must not forget to mention other departments whose operation is crucial for the running of the company. They include the following departments: ——

planning

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logistics

——

human resources management

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communication and marketing

AND SEVERAL INTERESTING POINTS AT THE END —— unidirectional and bidirectional versions —— fully air-conditioned —— a lowering platform for passengers with reduced mobility —— —— —— —— ——

number of units 5 gauge 1000 mm total number of passengers 345 seating capacity 69 maximum operating speed 65 km/h

—— CCTV system

6 INDOOR CAMERAS 6 OUTDOOR CAMERAS

TRAMCAR FORCITY PLUS BRATISLAVA

MOST FREQUENTLY SOUGHT POSITIONS SALES DEPARTMENT

TECHNOLOGY

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Sales manager

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Technologist

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Sales officer

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Bonding specialist

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

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Welding supervisor

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Sourcing manager

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Industrial engineer

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Purchasing officer

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Material engineer

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Contract manager

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Technologist – CNC programmer

PROJECT EXECUTION

QUALITY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

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Quality management system and environment specialist

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

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Quality management system officer

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Financial manager

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Supplier quality specialist

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Treasury manager

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Inspection technician

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Economist

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Flaw detector

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Financial officer

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT

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Accountant

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Supervisor

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Comptroller

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Production controller

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Financial analyst

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Production clerk

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

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Machine fitter

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Electrician, electrical equipment mechanic

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Product manager

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Welder

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Project designer (electrical and mechanical parts)

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Bonder

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Design engineer (electrical and mechanical parts)

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Painter

Project manager

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SW specialist

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Joiner

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Research worker

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Mechanic

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Legislation and homologation specialist

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Operator of CNC machines

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RAMS/LCC specialist

SERVICE

LOGISTICS

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Service manager

——

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Service technician

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Field technician

Warehouse operator

Šumperk

Prague

Ostrava

Pilsen

Used sources ——

ČSN 21500

ŠKODA TRANSPORTATION a.s.

CONTACT FOR THE HR DEPARTMENT:

ŠKODA ELECTRIC a.s.

Jana Borowiecka

ŠKODA VAGONKA a.s.

[email protected]

ŠKODA CITY SERVICE s.r.o.

+420 378 186 406

Pars nova a.s.

www.skoda.cz